President Elect - 1988 Edition
Platform: Commodore 64
Gametype: Undefined
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President Elect:1988 Edition is an updated version of the original President Elect adding the campaign data for the upcoming (at the time) 1988 election. The game is a comprehensive computer simulation of a presidential campaign from Labor Day to election night. The game can be played by 3 players each assuming the role of campaign manager/candidate. The game proceeds through 9 weekly turns where the player decides how and where to concentrate their campaign efforts. Weekly polls are provided to give the players an idea on how they are doing. On election night the returns come in on a minute to minute basis until a winner is determined. The election night may be simulated in real time (2-6 hours) or the votes may be counted in 15 seconds. President Elect has seven historical scenarios (from 1960 to 1988) or a virtually unlimited number of hypothetical or ahistorical scenarios.

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Trivia

Designer Nelson Hernandez Sr.'s Author's Notes from the manual contain interesting reflections and predictions:

I designed this game with knowledgeable followers of politics in mind. The constant struggle of any game designer, or historian, is to include critical elements and exclude unnecessary detail... in short, to make the game both fun and playable and yet keep its integrity as a representation of history - or reality.

Judging by the reviews I've read since the original version of this game was issued in 1981, it seems this tension between fun and realism has been resolved with some success.

The initial version did frustrate a lot of people, though, on the grounds that it predicted a smashing Reagan landslide in 1984, almost any way you stacked the deck against him. Some said this hurt playability (it did). Others thought an extreme landslide such as the game seemed to be predicting was preposterous. But I judged in 1981 and thereafter that this was very likely the virtually inevitable outcome, and to change the program to make it a better (closer) game was a violation of the sensibilities of fellow political pundits. So I resisted the temptation, and the 1984 election went very much as the game said it would.

As I write, the 1988 election is yet a year and a half away. The game as a model of reality has not been significantly altered, only all the variables fitting into the model have changed. Playtesting shows the Republican party to have an edge in most likely match-ups. There are many reasons for this, analysis of which I do not have space to elaborate here. One thing seems sure: a smashing landslide such as the last two elections is not likely for either party. But still, assuming (1) economic and foreign variables don't materially change between now and then, (2) the 1988 Republican Convention doesn't turn into a fratricidal bloodletting, and (3) the two candidates are relatively equal in personal charm and rhetorical skill, the game tells us the 1988 election is the Republicans' to win... by probably 5-7 percentage points. I'm sure that won't please everyone (otherwise what is the point of this game?).

I hope that you enjoy playing PRESIDENT ELECT as much as I enjoyed creating it. Your comments are welcomed.

Republican candidate George Bush of Texas defeated Democrat Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts by 7.8 percentage points in 1988 to become the 41th president of the United States. 

The manual contains concise text summaries, electoral votes data and maps of the presidential elections from 1960 to 1984, as well as basic info for the 1988 election.

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Description from the packaging:

After Reagan, who'll be next in '88? Find out today with President Elect.
President Elect takes into account the major electoral parameters to make it an accurate and realistic model of the campaign process. In fact, a major gaming magazine used the First Edition of President Elect (released in 1981) to successfully predict the 1984 election, down to the last electoral vote.
Specially designed for 1988. Applicable back to 1960. This 1988 Edition includes special rules and features to reflect the upcoming election. But with its 69 rated candidates, you can contest any election all the way back to 1960. You can even make up your own candidates and create intriguing face-offs: Hart vs. Bush, JFK vs. Reagan.

Political climate and issues. At the beginning of the game, the computer takes into account the prevailing political climate of the specified time based on economic factors and U.S. and foreign news. The candidates' political persuasions (either preprogrammed or rated by you) will be based on their responses to over twenty diverse issues.

The campaign. You are given a fixed mount of Political Action Points to allocate among national, regional and key-state campaigning efforts. Campaign stops must be carefully planned to avoid fatigue. National and foreign crises may arise to challenge you.
If you wish to debate, you'll be scored on your answers to social, economic and foreign policy questions as well as your speaking ability.

Election night can be resolved instantly, or it can be simulated minute-by-minute.
Three-player game. President Elect accounts for the Republican, Democratic and possible third-party candidates. The computer can plan any or all three positions.
It can also be programmed to play over and over again, with major parameters changed each time to see how a particular election turns out.

Every turn (week), U.S. map colors states according to the party to which its electoral votes belong. Solid/striped red is heavily/partially Democratic; blue is Republican; white is undecided.
Weekly polls project shifts in popular and electoral votes.
Allocation of campaign resources and data on campaign stops.
A sample debate question and its possible approaches.
The computer makes its election night projections.
Actual election vote counts.


http://www.mobygames.com/game/c64/president-elect-1988-edition
